Posts Tagged Premier League

2015 began with a confidence denting visit to Southampton where our performance showed signs of fatigue after a hectic Christmas period. Given the points dropped elsewhere by our rivals, it was a reasonably successful return in what is such a crazy time where games come thick and fast and bodies are swiftly tapped of all energy.

Good news! We have a bone-crunching visit from Stoke to look forward to!

It seems a ridiculous concept that 4th position in the league could cause such happiness for the Gooner faithful. However it wasn’t just 4th that we were able to celebrate yesterday, it was also St. Totteringhams Day. Arguably the best day of the year.

It wasn’t a remarkable performance yesterday from Arsenal. There were no spectacular 30yrd goals nor any incidents which left pundits and fans alike bawling in frustration. What we saw was a professional, albeit nervy performance from Arsenal. We played a tight game, not over-committing going forwards and did what was required to seal the three points and 4th.

Arsene said that there has been a great spirit in this squad and I cannot fault that analysis. When we lost to Spurs it asked an awful lot of questions about the quality of these players and they were not found wanting. It hasn’t always been extravagant, classy football but it is a results-based business and we got the results we needed. 11 games, 9 wins, 2 draws – not bad for a team in a negative spiral. Thank you AVB for that ill-judged comment which will have galvanised that shell-shocked Arsenal side.

Several Arsenal players have commented that it took a meeting between the Arsenal players to sort out our lack of cohesion and defensive frailties and it was a successful enterprise. It shouldn’t be rocket science and perhaps it should have happened sooner, but I am delighted that the players took the responsibility to sort it out themselves. The manager can only tell them what he wants them to do, during games they have to act on their own initiative and the players had to sort it out. Far too often we have conceded goals when we shouldn’t, we have dropped point and crashed out of the domestic cup competitions well before time.

Has it been a successful season? We have achieved the minimum requirement. We have reached the qualification stages of the Champions League and most importantly we have once again reminded Spurs that Arsenal are and will always be the Kings of North London. North London is Red.

I have to say, I like this new, mature, composed and determined Arsenal. The players have built a real platform to kick off from next season. We have to take the belief and confidence into next season and strengthen the squad further. Transfer rumours are flying around already and I really like the idea of Yaya Sanogo, so I hope some business can be concluded there. There have been mentions of him being injury prone, but a broken leg and a torn abductor in two years isn’t a sign of a injury prone player, just one that had a couple of untimely injuries, so lets hope we can sign the talented forward. 9 goals and one assist in 11 games this season speaks for itself, he can finish. If Amaury Bischoff was “a bit of a gamble”, I would suggest that Sanogo could be considered “a dead cert” and I would be delighted if we could convert the rumour into reality. Arsene has said we are in the advanced stages but nothing is completed yet, but perhaps this could be some early business concluded. Contracts generally roll over on the 1st June, so unless Sanogo has signed a pre-contract agreement, then don’t expect any announcement until then.

Most would argue that we need more than a striker, so I hope Arsene is already contacting clubs to start negotiations. We need to be sharp and our recruitment activities need to mirror last season which saw us complete early purchases for Giroud, Podolski and Cazorla. Importantly Arsene has said that the instability of previous seasons where players “were half in and half out” certainly affected the pre-season preparations, but there will be no such distraction this year, with the only notable speculation regarding Vermaelen, side-lined for much of the second half of this season due to the excellent form of Koscielny and the BFG and of course Bakary Sagna who only has a year left on his contract.

I would prefer if we could keep both, but if there is money to be made then I cannot see any reason why we couldn’t sell Sagna or Vermaelen provided sufficient replacements are promoted or purchased. Corporal Jenkinson is looking better and better, but he will need challenging in the same way that Gibbs has been forced to perform by the purchase of the excellent Monreal.

So much still to talk about following this season, but for now – it’s just great to be a Gooner.

I have been an Arsenal fan from the minute I could distinguish colours on the television screen and comprehend why Dad and my Grandad were screaming at the television on when the football was on.

I enjoy football, so I enjoy watching sides that play good football as well as my own beloved Arsenal and I have to say I have more than a passing affection for what Martinez has done for Wigan during his tenure here. Think back to the days of Steve Bruce, who signed the enigmatic Amr Zaki, Wilson Palacios, Antonio Valencia and most wonderfully of all Emile Heskey. Look how far Martinez has taken this Wigan side whose first instinct was kick and run to the devastating, continental pass and move football that Wigan now employ.

It was just before christmas when the Father-in-Law said that he didn’t think Wigan would stay up this year. I countered that Wigan always start playing football from February onwards and that I thought they could escape again, citing that there are worse teams in this division than Wigan.

Yet here we are, Wigan need 6 points from 6 to stay up and Arsenal need 6 from 6 to get in the top four.

What a fixture!

Off the back of a 10 day rest our team looks pretty healthy with the beleaguered Abou Diaby being the only long-term injury, other than that we have a clean bill of health which is frankly both surprising knowing us and yet a bit refreshing to not blame injuries for form.

News has broken that Jack needs minor surgery to remove a pin in his ankle, but this was actually news about four weeks ago when the Ox said that Jack was still feeling a bit of pain from the pin itself and that it needed removing. Arsene has said that they will continue to manage the injury and play Jack only when completely necessary.

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90 minutes can mean a hell of a lot in football. You can win Championships, get relegated or change the fortunes of your team instantly. You can change friends to enemies and back again. You can be a king, a pauper, a hero or a fool.

The game against Villa promised much. A Villa side with recent positive results vs an Arsenal side that crashed out of a Cup and got battered by a very efficient German team. Paul Lambert’s side has had mixed fortunes this season, struggling to find a new identity based on youthful talent like Weimann, Lowton and Fabian Delph. Villa are flirting with relegation and we needed to put this week to bed with a win.↓ Read the rest of this entry…

Aaron James Ramsey, born december 1990 has often shown himself to be a real talent, but never has a player polarised the Arsenal faithful with such vigour. His ability has often been questioned in recent months with some suggesting he just isn’t good enough, whereas others are begging for him to be given time to prove himself following the horrific leg-break suffered at the hands of the “just doesn’t have it in him” Ryan Shawcross.

Arsène has said many times that a player really starts to come into his own at 23, so you could be easily forgiven in thinking that Ramsey should really be on his way to fulfilling his potential had it not been for the 18 months he missed due to the aforementioned assault incident.

Not to be denied his potential, Ramsey has dug in and despite the criticism has been showing in the recent fixtures since the turn of the year why Arsène was right to stick by him. His performance against Sunderland had everything, he tackled, created and even filled in at right-back and did it all with a calm that previously had been missing. The lad had clearly been trying too hard and you cannot fault him for that. It must have been killing him to watch players surpass him in the squad whist his progress that was so very obvious pre-injury stalled and he struggled to have the same impact in games, often trying the Hollywood pass when a simpler, more effective option presented itself.

Fortunately, Ramsey is no shrinking violet and has began to win back support with grit, hard work and determination. Groans from the stands have turned to cheers once again and all credit to him for not allowing himself to drift away and credit to Arsenal for sticking by him.

Ramsey and Walcott have both had seasons that have changed fans opinions, who could be next? With the fantastic boost that Wilshire has given this squad it is the little things that start to click along with it that start to make a great side. Do not forget the fact that the core of our side is now signed up for the next 5 years. Arsène tried to do this before and build a side around Fabregas with players that he brought to Arsenal and tried to make them love it as he does. Few of those players stood up to that challenge and money talked and that side got broken up.

Arsène is not to be turned away so easily however and he is trying it again, building it around the absolute talent that is Jack Wilshire and he’s doing it the right way – with players that love Arsenal before they committed. Gibbs, Jenkinson, Ramsey, Walcott and Wilshire – all players that love Arsenal and love playing for us. They’re not all the finished article and I am delighted that they can grow with us. Arsenal are beginning to click, the teams at the top are within reach perhaps with the exception of ManYoo who it seems are romping away with the title, in a year when no team has played to its potential.

It’s been an odd season so far, but we are seeing strong signs that this Arsenal side isn’t done yet. There is a strong belief in the squad and a strong work-ethic to make sure that we get on a run. We have to focus now and not let any distractions from the Champions League derail our season. Blackburn first then we will face Bayern Munich. Bayern is no cake-walk and it will take some luck to beat them at the moment – but I wouldn’t shy away from suggesting that Arsenal are capable of nicking a result.

History has indicated that Arsenal are not always great travellers across the north/south divide. Trips to the frozen wastes of Sunderland have not always ended in victory for us gunners so it was imperative that we applied ourselves in the appropriate manner.

A manner that is similar, in fact pretty damn identical to trying very hard, very very hard indeed.

After a Wednesday night that really made the world sit up and pay young Jack some attention, it was nothing less than essential that our roaming, international superstars settled back into the old routine and performed at the top level to get a result against hardworking, organised, bullish Sunderland.

Martin O’Neill’s stock is at all time low at the moment. There was a time when he was considered Sir Alex’s replacement, but in my opinion his nomadic managerial career in recent years has put paid to that – at least for now. I’d like to think we put an extra nail in that coffin, but I think its already well and truly buried and David Moyes is urinating on the gravestone.

We always looked dangerous throughout and it took a smart finish from Cazorla to break the deadlock. Considering the positions Santi gets in, he doesn’t put enough of them away I think. On this occasion he didn’t disappoint however and saved the blushes of Giroud who, whilst threatening throughout, failed to find the back of the net.

Sailing was plain until Corporal Jenkinson had a second rush of blood and received a deserved second yellow. All hell broke loose on twitter with tweets full of bile directed at a lad who, before today was being lauded as Sagna’s ready-made replacement. Some even suggested that with Sagna struggling to return to his amazing form pre-double leg break that perhaps Jenks should be given a shot.

You can’t say that and then spit bile about him. You lose all integrity. He made two poor decisions, but he’s young and he’ll learn. Ironically, his poor performance was highlighted by a fantastic performance from Sagna at right centre-back. He was moved inside after Koscielny injured himself in the warm-up.

Sagna and Mertesacker had a great game and Sczcesny topped it off with an excellent performance. That’s where us writers have a responsibility to be more level-headed. He was excellent today, but in his previous fixtures before Stoke he looked like he couldn’t catch a cold, let alone a football.

Special mention goes to Rambo who once again did a great job. He also filled in at right back with a calm assurance.

In last season’s corresponding fixture, Liverpool won their first game over Arsenal in eleven attempts over eleven and a half years. Needless to say it is critical that a repeat of that blip doesn’t happen tonight.

In terms of our squad we are looking pretty healthy. Available for selection tonight after resting at the weekend is Wilshire, Walcott, Cazorla as well as Vermaelen is fit following his ankle injury. I am excited to see how we get on tonight. Cazorla always seems to have a storming game after a good rest, so I am looking forward to him ripping them apart. It is a good time for our forwards to be hitting form and in Giroud and Walcott, we can certainly feel confident of a goal or two.

We are short of a couple of quality additions, more so as we have significantly weakened our squad by loaning out players who can do a job for us, especially Frimpong who I feel offers a bit of steel in our midfield and has been knocking on the door for a while. I totally understand sending him off on loan to play Premier League football, to learn and to grow. Stunting his growth by leaving him on the bench hurts us more than helps, but we need to replace him with a quality player.

I understand Arsène when he says he doesn’t want to stifle young players coming through. A large part of our ability to attract top, young talent is based on the fact that if you are good enough, age is irrelevant and Arsène will back you. Can there really be no one out there that we could get on loan for 6 months? Or a short-term contract? I admit, I’m feeling a tad uncomfortable about the current squad. I feel we lack a bit of experience in the middle which leaves us irresponsibly light at the back when the opposition are counter-attacking.

Liverpool are a side that likes to control possession, to play the ball on the ground and play through teams. The type of side that plays to our strengths too. They aren’t formidable through the middle of the park and with the exception of Gerrard and the loathsome Suarez, lack any real world-class talent. Make no bones about it, I hold less concern about this result than the game against Brighton that I felt could hold some surprises. Liverpool won’t surprise us. We need to do our research, get someone mobile like Koscielny tight to Suarez and Ramsey/Diaby on Gerrard and Liverpool will struggle to affect the game.

Liverpool are not a walk-over but they are a familiar foe and familiarity breeds complacency. We need to be focussed, we need to setup a real run of form now. We have big-big games coming up and we start tonight. A victory tonight would put us one point off fourth spot, Arsène’s current Holy Grail. I cannot fathom why the signing of Walcott constitutes a success in sealing the quality signings that we need to strengthen. We are horrendously short of a real defensive midfielder in our side and that could really make a difference for us.

Is Arsene short-sighted, or does he really believe that Ramsey can do the role? He has done well in the last two games, but I just don’t think his instincts suit the role. Only time will really tell, but I don’t want us to go out of the Champions League to Bayern as part of an experiment when a purchase of Lee Cattermole, or some other nasty (but incredibly good at what they do) defensive midfielder who would take a game like that by the scruff off the neck. Bear in mind, that player wouldn’t need to play every week, but in those games that Arsène feels that a defensive midfielder is required.

Top sides have quality defensive midfielders. They all do. It’s not a mystery or a secret. Arsène’s most successful years at Arsenal involved three of the best defensive midfielders to wear the shirt, Petit, Vieira and Gilberto Silva. Were they the best players with the ball? Not in comparison to the likes of Bergkamp or Pires but in their role they didn’t have many peers of the same ability.

We miss a Gilberto Silva every single game. Every single game a run from the opposition gets through that should be stopped. Enough of this though, we have talented players who can win tonight and that is all that matters in the very short term.

Come on you Gooner’s we have invited the bin-dippers to Arsenal. Lets give ‘em a right welcome and then a decent spanking to send ‘em home!!

OK, so they weren’t lazy. It was a play on words and a poor effort at that. My sincerest apologies to anyone offended. Still….5:1 isn’t anything to sniff at so perhaps I can be forgiven for a little over-exuberance following the result. Bi-Polar Arsenal strikes again and I can’t help but smile today. 5:1 is a cracking result and we can be delighted with it.

Last night three players that have divided the Arsenal fanbase both clicked and put in amazing performances. Firstly, Ramsey who was picked in the side for the rested Diaby. Ramsey did well when he came on at the weekend and in the previous fixture too. He can be guilty of the odd Hollywood pass, but his vision is sound although his execution of it can sometimes be found wanting. Last night however it all worked for him. Sitting deeper allowed him to win balls and hit lovely through balls to a scampering Jack, Poldi and Giroud. We saw a small cameo of Arsenal for years to come there. Rambo and Jack have a chemistry on the pitch, it was clear to see that with them both in the middle we will create a lot of chances. We need a defensive midfielder with them, but it worked well.

Secondly Prince Poldi, a player with fantastic ability and he can be a real game changer. His strike to equalise was stunning. The whole game he terrorised West Ham with his direct running and his assists were of the highest quality. His form can be bi-polar but on form like that he looks like a World Champion and worth every penny. I really like him. I think he gives us a bit of steel, a bit of never give up attitude when he is “switched on”. Unfortunately sometimes it seems like he is “switched off” but that could be down to acclimatising to a new league with new physical demands. I think there is enough in his performances to suggest that he deserves to be there and deserves to be one of our top players for years to come.

Thirdly Olly Giroud, the man who made a transfer to Arsenal on the back of a season of great headers, fantastic work-rate, brilliant tap-ins and results in the big games. He never hides, he never gives up and he does score goals. Both of his goals yesterday were top-top finishes. I like the fact that when it isn’t going in the net for him his head never goes down and he gives everything for the team, which is so critical in our system. I’ve never held back from saying I think he is a good player and he can chalk down last night as another marker of his understated quality. He’s no Thierry Henry, he’s not a speed merchant with a mercurial class and a touch of swagger about him but he is undoubtedly a decent player who can do very well for us.

Final note for Walcott who performed admirably on the right of the front three, excellently taken goal and he was denied by a goal-line clearance too. He can really help ignite Arsenal this season and he is certainly doing his best to replace the goals we are missing.

What a difference a game makes, I think we’re all bouncing today.We cannot ignore the holes in the squad though and I hope Arsene can crack on and get on with signing some players. He called the post match short to “work on transfers” and it would be so easy to suggest that considering Diame was in the ground and so was West Ham. He could fit in well as I have already said, but speculation is rife and never let it be said that I spend far too much time looking at it. I prefer the sound of my own guff, not someone else’s.

So its on swiftly to the weekend and a very important game against Brighton at 3pm on Saturday. It’s the FA cup and we need to be professional, approach the game like we did last night and all will be well I think. We cannot take complacency onto the pitch because we will get beaten by Brighton. They are a good side and already have a scalp in this competition, lets not give them another one.

Final note, it shows the considerable lack of class that again unsurprisingly Chelski refused to apologise for the Hazard incident. There was blame on both sides but Hazard is firstly an adult and secondly a millionaire footballer who should know better. He said on Chelski TV – “The boy put his whole body on to the ball and I was just trying to kick the ball. I think I kicked the ball and not the boy. I apologise.”. That’s not an apology son. First you have to identify that you did wrong.